Danica Taking 'Baby Steps' in Sprint Cup

By the end of testing on the first day of Preseason Thunder at Daytona International Speedway, crew chief Tony Gibson realized that Danica Patrick had become one of the boys.

As soon as Gibson picked his driver up for dinner, she flipped the radio over to the country station on the dial.

That’s when he knew.

While Patrick has yet to conform to Gibson’s other requests to fish and hunt deer, the bond has already begun to form. And Gibson feels that building a comfortable environment for NASCAR’s most recognizable driver will help her persevere as she makes her jump to the Sprint Cup Series.

“I don’t want to put any more pressure on her to do anything outside of her ability,” Gibson said. “She — and the fans — already put more than enough pressure on her.”